Automatic camera.



A. I. IVIOTTLAU AUTOMATIC CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED NOI.'a I5. I9I6. i 1,241,650. Patented oet. 2,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l..

A. J. mom/xu,

AUTOMATIC CAMERA l .APPLICATICN msn Nov, 15. 19.15. ,1 ,241 ,6150. .Patented Oct. 2,1917* 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- i if ` zvenmf' 717. .TMUYTLA a4 Byars @a/a To all whom 'it may concern:

I film that it will intercept the light rays' UNITED s'rafraf@ AUGUST J. MOTTLAU, OF PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY :DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO G. E. M. ENGINEERING COIVLANY, OF EHIIJADELEHIA.,

PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

.AUTOMATIC CAMERA.-

1,241,650. Original application filed April 28, 1916,

Be it known that I, AUGUST J. lVfo'rTLAU, a subject of the King of Denmark, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have'invcnted certain new and useful llmprovements in Automatic Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cameras and particularly to automatically operated cameras, and it is the object of the invention to provide a camera to take pictures of successive portions of an object or landscape by the camera from a moving vehicle or carrier for the camera, such, for instance, as an aeroplane, and to provide a camera which is simple and cheap in construction and eilicient in operation.

With this object in view l provide a casing in which the mechanism is inclosed having an aperture or opening for a lens, with a support for a roll of web film and a take-up roll for said film intermittently rotated by a continuously rotated spring-actuated shaft to intermittently feed the film across the lens, and provide an apertured curtain intermittently moved across the film by mea us operable from the continuously rotating shaft, the movement of the curtain being so timed with relation to the movement of the through the lens during the periods of movement of the film and expose a portion of the film through an aperture in the curtain during the periods of rest of the film.

The present application is a division of my co-pending application, filed April 2S, 1916, Serial No. 94280, and relates particullarly to shutter mechanism to intercept the light rays during the periods of movement of the film and expose the film. during the periods of rest of the film.

ln thev drawing Aaccompanying and forming a part of this sp sciiication, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a camera showing an embodiment of my invention, the section being taken on the line A-A of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 2 lis a plan view with the top of the casing removed to show the interior mechanism.

Fig.

Specification of 'Letters Patent.

with a mutilated pinion 21,

3 is a cross sectional view taken onv rateared'oct. 2, 191'.

Serial No. 94,280. Divided and this application led November 15,

1916. Serial No. 131,364.

the line B-B of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. -i is a detail view of the means to control the movement of the curtain, said view being taken on the line and looking in the direction of the arrows C-G -of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the means to intermittently move the curtain; ard

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation taken on the line and looking in the direction of the arrows .D-D of Fig. 5.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

The embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings consists of a casing C to inclose and carry the mechanism, said casing having a removable part as usual whereby access may be had to the mechanism or for the purpose of supplying or removing a film, andhas in one wall an opening for the mounting of a lens 7. A removable spool 8 for a roll of web film F is rotatably supported in the casing. rlhe film is adapted to pass across the lens free end to a removable take-up roll 9 in the casing adjacent the side opposite to the spool of rolled film, and rotatably supported upon a stud 10 and a resilient or spring arm 14. The film in its travel to the take-up roll is guided over a pairof rollers 11, 12 rotatably supported in a bracket 13 and over a pair of guide bars 14', the said guide bars being substantially of channel shape in cross section for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The film is intermittently fed across the lens from a rotatable shaft 15 continuously driven by a spring 16, one end of which spring is connected to the shaft and the other end to a fixed part as usual, the said spring being wound by a crank 17 fixed to the shaft exterior of the casing. To intermittently rotate the take-up roll from the shaft there is fixed on the shaft a mutilated portions 19 with a blank space 20 between said toothed portions. The gear coperates said pinion having opposed toothed sections 22 with diametrically opposite blank sections 23 between the toothed sections. The gear 18 is rotated in the direction of the arrow (Fig,

and is connected at the gear 18, the said gear having four segmental toothed l) by the spring and during each one-quarter revolution of the gear, or as a toothed segment thereoiE is in mesh with a toothed portion of the pinion, the pinion wiilhave a one-half revolution imparted thereto. jrs the blank portion 2O ot' the gear comes opposite the pinion no motion will be imparted to the pinion; but just previous to the next toothed section ot the gear coming in Contact with the pinion one ot a series ot' four pins Q-i projecting laterally from one face of the gear will engage with one oi'-a pair of dogs iixcd to and projecting beyond the periphery ot the pinion thereby moving the pinion so that a tootl e i section thereot' will mesh with a toothed portion et' the gear when a further one-halt revolution will be imparted to the pinion and such movement transmitted through the shaft .i5 to the take-np roll 9.

To intercept the light rays through the lens during the movement ot the iii-rn and to expose a portion ot the iilm during the periods `et rest, the shutter mechanism is provided, consisting et an endless apertured curtain 2G, the curtain in the present instance'liaving two apertures 27 and supported adjacent its lateral ends upon rollers Q8, 2S and Q9, 29 fixed to shafts 30, 30 journaled at one end in a bracket 3l and at the opposite end in an extension of a bracket The curtain is movableintermittently transversely of and intersects the path otl movement of the lihn7 the iilm passing between the curtain, and during this movement is guided in the channel portion et the bars 10, as clearly shown in Fig. l, these channel bars also serving to separate the curtain from the I'ilm.

This intermittentmovement is imparted to the curtain by the shaitt l5 through a beveled pinion 3o rotatable with said shaft, and which may be constructed integral with the gear 18, meshing with a beveled pinion 3i fixed to a vertical shaft 35 journaled in the bracket 3Q and having at the end opposite to the pinion 34 a beveled pinion 136 meshing with a beveled pinion Si' fixed to a shaft 38. Fixed to the shaft 3S is a pinion 39 driving a second pinion 40 loose on a shaft 4l in the same direction as the iirst pinion 3),through an intermediate pinion 4Q.

Motion is imparted from the pinion et() intermittently to the shaft spring 43 coiled about the shaftl and connected to one end of the shaft and at the other end to a pin 44 projecting laterally from the pinion, and such movement otl the shaft 4l is transmitted to the curtain through a gear Li5 lixed to the shatt -l-l meshing with a pinion t6 fixed to the shalt ot the curtain carrying wheels 2S). The. pinion 41 is rotated in the. direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 3 and (l, and

41 through a as said pinion is rotated it will wind the spring d3 around the shaft ai i the tension of the spring' will rotate the connected shalt and, the gear 45 fixed thereon inthe same direction as the pinion 4:0, as 'iinlicaied by the arrows in Figs. 3 and -l; and the curtain carrying wheels Q8, 29 in the direction olf the arrows through the pinion fio. The shaft fiel is held against movement and is successively released to permit .movement to be imparted thereto through the pinion lil to the spring by escapement mechanism consisting et a pair ot juxtaposed disks i7, 4:8, xed to the shaft 38, the disk -l-T having diametrically opposite circular recessed portions lio, #t9 and the disk i8 having similaiI recesses :l 50, said latter recesses located at right angles to the reces, in the disk ALT, as clearly shown in -la Fixed to the shaft in jui-ltaposod relation to each other and the gear l5 are s rA 52 extending laterally :trom the shalt ".iainetrically opposite to cach other and the dogs 5l being substantiallyv at right angles to the dogs 52. rJhe disks and are rotated in the direction ot the arrow (Fig. i) with the pinion 39, and the vh 5l, 52 and gear -i-l are urged in the direction of the arrow by the spring 43. llowever, rotation of the gear t5 is prevented by; a dog 5l engaging with an unrecessed portion of the periphery of the disk *t8 until said dog reaches a recess in the disk when the spring 43 will urge said disk and the con- -nected gear in the direction of the arrow and thereby impart movement to the curtain and until a dog 52 engages lwith an unrecessed portion ci: the disk la'. During such engagement of dog 5;, with the disk -ithe spring d3 will again he wound or tensioned until a recessed portion o t the disk -lf reaches said dog 52 when the dog with the connected gear will againy be advanced by the spring The lmechanism is so timedvthat when the iihn is being moved the curtain or shutter remains stationary'7 intercepting the light rays through the lens to the lilm, the apcrtured portions of the curtain during this time being at opposite ends, and when the iihn is stationary the curtain will be moved to expose the ilm through an aperture Q7 in the curtain` To increase or decrezse the tension ot the spring 4:3 the pin -ti is :n'ljustahlv connected to thepinion 40, for which purpose the pin it to which one end of the spring is connected has a screw threaded shouldered end to engage in a slot 53 in the pinion -i-lY and clamped in adjusted position in said slot by a thumb-nut 54.

The movement of the mechanism is regulated through the shalt 15. and tor thisl purpose there is provided a dash-pot oonsisting of' a cylinder 55 tor a suitable lluid or liquid, the bore oll the cylinder 55 extendreciprocate ing parallel With the shaft 15. 'lhe cylinder has ports 56, connected by av tube 58 and the port 57 closed by a valve 59 closing outward from and opening into the cylinder to normally shut off' communication between opposite ends of the cylinder through the ports 56, 57. A plunger or piston 60 is adapted to in the cylinder, said piston being connected by a rod 61 to an arm 62 eX- tending through a slot in the cylinder and said arm having screw threaded connection With the shaft 15, as shown at 63. The end of the cylinder in front of the piston is also connected to the opposite end through the tube 58and port 56 through an outlet or port 62 connected to the tube 58, the opening and closing as Well as the area of the port being controlled by a needle valve 64 operable by a knurled finger piece 65 exterior cf the casing. As the operating spring 16 is wound the arm 62 with the piston 60 Will be moved to the left as viewed from Fig. 3,

' this movement of the piston unseating the valve 59 and drawing the liquid from in.

back to the front of the piston. During the Winding of the spring no movement will be imparted to the film feeding and shutter actuating mechanism as said mechanism will be uncoupled from the shaft 15 `by Va pawl 66 carried by the gear 1S riding over a ratchet-Wheel 67. Afterthe spring 16 has been Wound and the mechanism is being actuated by the spring the shutter actuating and film feeding mechanism will be connected to the shaft through the pawl and ratchet 66, 67 and the movement of the shaft will cause the piston 60 to move into the cylinder, this ing the valve 59 and permitting the escape of the fluid in front of the piston only through the restricted outlet 68, thereby retarding the movement of the piston andl thereby the rotation of the shaft 15 as Well as the connected shutter actuating and hlmfeeding mechanism. It Will be obvious that this movement is regulated in accordance With the restricting or enlarging of the outlet 62 by the needle valve 64:. The operation of the camera may be stopped at Will by screwing the valve 64 to its seat to prevent the escape of fluid from in front of the piston. It Will be noted that the arm 62 instead of passing through a slot in thel cylinder to connect it to the piston 60, may be so connected to the piston whereby the cylinder Will be entirely closed, but for the purpose for which the present camera is designed, that is, for taking pictures of landscapes from an aeroplane, the construction as illustrated Will suiiice, since in such use the portion of the camera in Which the lens is located will be at the bottom.

Havingv thus described my invention, l claim:

57 adjacent opposite ends movement of the piston seat- 1. ln a camera the combination' with a lens and a Web film intermittently movable across said lens, of an endless apertured curtain movable transversely of the film to intersect the path of movement of the film and successively expose portions transversely thereof, and said lm passing between said curtain, and means to actuate the curtain alternately with the movement of the film, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. ln a camera the combination of driving means; a lens; a web film; means operable from the driving mechanism to intermittently move the film across thelens; an apertured curtain intersecting the film in front thereof; means operable from said driving means to move the curtain alternately with the movement of the film; and escapement mechanism to control the `movement of the curtain, substantially asi and for the purpose specied.

3. ln a camera the combination With lens, of a continuously rotating shaft; a Web film operable from the shaft to inter mittently move the film across the lens; an apertured curtain intersecting the film in front thereof; and means operable from the shaft to intermittently move the curtain alternately with the movement of the film, jublstantially as and for the purpose speciiet.

il. fn a camera the combination of a lens; a. web film; a rotatable shaft; a-spring to continuously rotate said shaft; means oper- 10C able f rom said shaft to intermittently feed the film across the lens; an endless apertured curtain movable across the path of movementof the film; rotatable Wheels to support said curtain; and means to inter- 105 mittently move said curtain to intercept the light rays through the lens to a portion of the film during the movement of the film and to expose a portion of the film through an aperture in the curtain during the pe- 11e riods'of rest of the film.

5. 1n a camera the combination of a lens;

a web film; a rotatable shaft; a spring to continuously rotate said shaft; means operable from said shaft to intermittently feed 115 the film across the lens; an endless apertured curtain movable across the path of movement of the film; rotatable Wheels to support said curtain; apinion rotatable with said shaft; a second pinion driven through 120 an intermediate pinion from and in the same direction as the first pinion; a gear fixed on the shaft of the second pinion; a pinion rotatable With one of the curtain Wheels meshing With said gear; and escapement 125 mechanism controlled by the rst and second pinions to intermittently operate the gear and thereby the curtain to cause the curtain to intercept the light rays to a portion of the film through the lens during the 13e movement of the film and expose a portion of the film during the periods of rest thereof.` y

fi. fn a camera the combination of a lens; a continuously rotating shaft; a Web film; means operable from the shaft to intermittently move the film across the lens; an apertured curtain intersecting the film in front thereof; means to move .the curtain alternately with the movement of the film; and escapement mechanism to control the movement of the curtain, .substantially as and. for the purpose specified.

In a camera the combination of a lens; a continuously operable from the shaft to intermittently move the film across the lens; an endless apertured curtain intersecting the film with the fihn engaging between said curtain; means operable from the shaft to impart movement to the curtain; and means actuated by the shaft to control the movement of the curtain to intermittently move the curtain alternately with the movement of the film; substantially as and for the purpose specified..

fn a camera the combination With a lens and a Web film, of a rotatable shaft; means actuated by said shaft 'to move the film across the lens; an endless apertured curtain extending in front of the film tointercept the light rays through the lens; and means actuated by the shaft to move said curtain transversely of the film to eirpose portions of the film through an aperture in the curtain, substantially' as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a camera the combination with a lens and a Web film, of a rotatable shaft; means actuated by said shaft to move the film across the lens; an endless apertured curtain betWeenWhich the film extends so that the curtain intercepts the film; and means actuated by the shaft to intermittently move the curtain transversely of the film to successively expose portions of the film, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a camera the combination a Web film; a rotatable shaft; a spring to continuously rotate said shaft; means operablefrom said shaft to intermittently feed the lm across the lens; an endless apertured curtain movable across the path of movement of the film; rotatable Wheels to support said curtain; and means to intermittently move said curtain to cause said curtain to intercept the light rays through the lens to a portion of the film during the movement of the film and to expose a portion of the film through an aperture in the curtain during the periods of rest of the film, comprising a pinion continuously rotated from the shaft, a second table .from and of a lens;

rotating shaft; a Web filmv pinion rota in the same direction as they first pinion, a gear fixed on the shaft of the second pinion, a pinion rotatable with one of the curtain -Wheels meshing with said gear, and escapement mechanism controlled by the tWo pinions to intermittently operate the gear and thereby the curtain.

1l. In a camera the combination of a lens; a Web nlm; a rotatable shaft; a spring to continuously rotate said shaft; means operable from said shaft 'to intermittently feed the film across the lens; an endless apertured curtain movable across the pat-h of movement of the film; rotatable wheels to support said curtain; a pinion rotatable from the shaft; a second pinion driven through an intermediate pinion from and in the same direction as the first pinion; a gear fixed on the shaft of the second pinion; a pinion rotatable With one of the curtain Wheels meshing With said gear; and escapement mechanism controlled by the first and second pinions to intermittently operate the gear and thereby the curtain to cause the curtain to intercept the light rays to a portion of the film through the lens during-the movement of the film and expose a portion of the film during the periods of rest thereof, comprising a pair of juxtaposed disks each disk having opposite recesses in the periphery,- and a pair of doos rotated by the second pinion to coperate with said disks, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

l2. in a camera the combination of a lens; a Web film; a rotatable shaft; a spring to continuously rotate said shaft; means operable from said shaft to intermittently feed the film across the path of movement of the hlm; an endless apertured curtain movable across the path of movement of the film; a pair of rotatable rollers to support said curtain; a pinion rotatable from the shaft; a rotatable shaft; a second pinion loose on said shaft driven through an intermediate pinion from and in the same direction as the first pinion; a coiled spring connected at one end to the pinion and at the other end to the shaft, said spring being Wound by the pinion during the rotation thereof and transmitting motion to the shaft in the same direction as the pinion; a gear fixed to said shaft; a pinion connected to the curtain supporting Wheels meshing with said gear; and escapement mechanism to permit said spring to impart said movement to the shaft and gear to intermittently move the curtain to intercept the light rays through the lens through an aperture in the curtain during the periods of rest of the film, comprising a pair of juxtaposed disks each disk having diametrically opposite circular recesses in the periphery, and a pair of dogs fixed to the gear to coperate with said disks, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

during the movement ofthe film, and expose a portion of the film thereof through] the lens during the movement of the film end expose portions of the film successively throughan aperture-therein during the periods 'of rest of the film,

14C. In a camera, thejcombinationwth. e, lens and a Web lm intermittentlyfedl across said lenso:l an apertured curtain'interposed 2 between the lens and film movable transversely of the film; and means to intermittently .move yseid. curtain 'to cause an unapertured portion thereof to intercept thelight rays through the lens during the move- `ment ofl theilm and expose successive por- Itions ofthe film through an aperture in said 20 pluhrntain during the periods of rest of the @Signed at /Philalelphia'yin the county of -Philadelphia' and State' of Pennsylvania,

this 31st day o'October, 1916; p AUGUST J. MOTTLAU. 

